## **ST ANNE’S-ON-SEA UNITED REFORMED CHURCH** **REVIEW AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025** 1 ST ANNE'&ON.SEA iJNITED REFORMED CEtURCH CHARrrY Iyo 112&143 coNrENrs Tltle and Contents 3-14 Annual RevieTV & Elders, Report 15 Ststew¢nt ofEld¢T3' R¢sPQTrsibilltks 16-23 uan¢i&l Stst¢ments 2024-21ns ST ANNE.￿￿-sEA UNrrED REFORMED CHURCH CHARrrY NO 1128043 REVIEW AND EIJ)ERS' REPORT FOR THE YEAR EWDED 30 APIUL 2025 Elders Th¢ Eld¢rs who served during the year to 30 April 2025 were:_ May Bishop David Croall Jacqueline Dell Eileen Gatfitt Sheila Howarth Peter Melvin Dorothy Myers Chris Phair Joyce Phair Partnership Ministers: Rev Jim Williams Rev Janet Calderley David Croall Elizabeth Fleming Church Secretary: Church Treasurer: Principal Addre&s: St George's Road St Anne's-on-sea Lancashire FY8 2AE Email.. Website- Facebook: oificesaurc@btinternet.ci>tD Startnesurc Bankers: The Co-operntive Bank PO Box 250 Delf House Southway Skelmersdale WN8 6wr Investments- Colston Tower Bri5toR BSI 4RD Professional Advisor: Robert Miller Jones Regan Wealth Management Ltd. Newlalld5 Estate 315 Chorley New Road Bolton BLI 5BP ST Al￿.￿0￿.sEA UNrrED REFORMED CHURCH CHARTfY NO 1128043 REVtEW EIJ)ERS' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRtL 2025 (continued) Accoulltants: John Potter & Harrison Chartered Accountants 1121114 Whitrgate Drive Blackp￿1 FY3 9XH Coll8tituÉio The church has a written Constitution, a copy of which is available on requesL providing for ail the following aspects of church life: The local and wider Chu￿h. Documents governing the processes and management of the Church. Property T￿￿ and Administration. Church Membership. Church M¢¢tings; Church t£adership" Honorary Officers, Representstives and Committees. Employees and paid contractors" Holy Communion. Church Policies. Closure and Dis501ution. ST AJYNE'S-ON.SEA UNITED REFoR￿￿D CHURCH CIIARITY NO 112PA)43 REVIEW AND ELDERS, REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025 (continued) Welcome to the Annual Review and Elders, Rew>tL The ehurch's independently*xamined accounts for the year can be found at the end of the Report. Revieiv of the Year The year has seen the life of our church continue to develop and flourish. We have rejoiced once again both in our worship. and the ability to play a meaningful part in service. fellowship and outreach within the community. The church accepted an invitation frorn NW Synod to become part of the 'L£t's End Poverty, campaign, and a large banner spreading the rnessage w&$ displayed prominently in the church garden throughout much of the year. The church hosted a well-attended open air Pentecost service in May. which w&s the ciJn¢luding act of worship following the Pentecost WaIk in Ashton Gardens. Also in May we again hosted 'Thy Kingdom Come.. becoming a Small part of this g]ob&l ecumenical prdyer movement for th¢ day. This featured prayer stations situatd througl¥)ut th¢ ¢hur¢lL wh¢r¢ ￿ople could COTne to prdy. In June we held a short seryice to dedi￿te the new bench in the Garden of Remembranc¢. This has been donated by the famtly of L£e Sawyer. in her memory. and the service w&s attend¢d by her husband. P¢te. and their children. Once again the church was very involved with St Anne's Carnival and procession, joining with Churches Together for their award-winning walking float. Members also assisted with the stsll in Ashton Gardens. At Harvest Festival tim¢ a sp¢¢ial wffe¢ morning was arrange4L with g(MxLs and produce b¢in8 collected for donation to the FTr)dbank. In October we on¢e again hosted th¢ MissionaI Partnership Awayday. at whi¢h representatives from most of our sisler churches attended to share in a day of learnin& f¢llowship and enjoyment. Also in October we had th¢ pleasure of w¢lwming the Moderator of NW Syno(L R¢v Clare Downin& wh¢tE she met with any members and friends of the church over tea and coffee. Clare also led our Sunday seryice in early November. In Novernber a Remembrnice Walk was Created in the ChU￿h garden, and the Wann Space re- commenced, where th¢ Community room is o￿n every Wednesday for anyon¢ to ¢om¢ and enjoy warnith. food and friendship. A new banner advertising the Warm Space is now displayed outside the hall. and flyers are atso distributed throughout the town. FAch year we see more ond mor¢ people coming to take advanlag¢ of what we hav¢ lo off¢r. As always, we were involv¢d with the service of Blessing the Crib in St Anne's Square in Dec¢mb¢r, and some members also t￿k part in the work of delivering th0￿dS of Christmas cards to homes across th¢ town. Our toy & 8ift service once a8ain Ex)re witness to the generosity of spirit within our church, resulting in a hug¢ number of par¢¢ls and bags bursting with toys. Th¢s¢ were taken to th¢ Salvation Arniy in Blackp￿1 for distribution among many d￿ryIng familias. ST ANNE'￿N.S￿A UNrrED REFORMED CHURCH CHARfTY NO 11281M3 REVIEW AND ELDERS, REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025 (eolltinued) At lh¢ start of 2025 we were all d¢lighted to share in the excitement of Chris Stewart's 100 birthday ¢l¢bralions. The Mayor of Fyld¢ and her Consort were honour¢d g￿ests at the church service and the Jacob's Join which followed. January also saw the welcome re-commencement of a regular Bible Study group. At Easter we had a moving T¢n¢brae service on Maundy Th￿￿day. followed by a Seder mea] in the hall. On Good Friday some members joined the prO￿$10n of the cross through the town. with prnyers being offered along the journey. Throughout the year the following groups continued to play an imporlant aDd joyfvl rol¢ as valued addition5 to our church family: Choir Sunday Club Flower Team Prayer Chain Bible Study Pastoral Car¢ Team Starfishes Toddler & Carer Club Fundraising Team Thursday and Sattwday Coffee Mornings Thursday Club Messy Church Craft Club Warni Space Memb¢rs and friends also supported and ¢ontribut¢d to the work of: Commitment for Life Christian Aid The Leprosy Mission Local ecumetLical activvties World Day of Prayer Fylde F(K)dbank Salvation Amy The GLOVE Project for child amputees in The Gambia Mission to Seafarers Trinity Hospice/Brian House Alztleimer's Society Tools for Self Reliance The United Refornied Church at Arrf Synod alld National leve15 In carrying all the church's essential administrnttye and legal duties, the Elders were ably 5UPPOrted by th¢ many postholders and the unstinting volunteers from ow Church family who have carried out our work and witness. Som¢ of those many activities are summarised in the reikns below. ST ANNE.￿￿-sEA UNrrED REFORMED CHURCH CHARITY NO 1128043 REVIEW AND ELDERS. REPORT FOR YEAR ENDED 30 APRtL 2025 (Continued) Worship The Sunday and Thursday services have ¢ontinued during th¢ year. with no break in the commitment of desigtlated leaders. W¢ have been bles￿1 once again with a variety of styles from the leaders, who are:_ Andrew BarratL Rev. Janet Calderley, Doug Clements. R¢v. Peter Colw¢ll. Elizabeth Fleming, Eileen GarfitL Rev. Stuart Gay. Rev. Martin and Phyllis Graham. Pastor David Grimshaw, Stephante Johnson, Rene Kendall, Linda Lunn. Margaret Russell, Liz Stone and Rev. Jim Williams. Our appreciation also g￿S to those who enhan¢¢ our worship with Bible readings at both our Sunday and Thursday S&opper's services, along with the sp￿lat seasonal s¢ryi¢¢s which were held throughout the The Carol Service. the Songs of Praise Service. and th¢ Thursday Mini - knter, Summer, Harvest and Carol Services. Music and singing play an important part in our Sunday services. We thank the Choir who lead tFLe singing each Sunday under the expert guidance of Lisa Athertoffj our musical director. We are also indebted to Pat All¢n-FTosL John Cooper and Maiwet P¢arson for playing the piano for our weekly Thursday Shopper's services. Finally. we thank the membeTS and friends who supwrt both the Sunday Worship and Thursday services each and every week. Mi&sioD Outreacb Thanks go to our decreasing but generous supporters of The Leprosy Mission. A cheque for £1,372 wa5 sent to TLM at the end of the y¢ar under review. We wntinued also to support Christian Aid with funds raised in Christian Aid Week 2024 totalling £615. Safeguarding Safeguarding may b¢ expressed as'the promotion of the safety and welfare of children and adults who are at risk of. or ¢xp¢ri¢n¢ing. harni. abuse or neglect in all forms,. At St ADne'5 URC we believe that abuse in form is unacceptable, and inconsistent with a Chrtstian way of living. Safeguarding is taken seriously at the churclL where it is rewgnised that we all have a resp)nsibility to help prevent any forni of abus¢ and n¢gl¢ct and to ensu￿ the wellbeing and pastoral care of those who are, or may be, at risk. During the year two safeguarding concerns wer¢ identified. These were dealt with by the Safeguarding Co-ordinator wilh assistance as required from the relevant team at Synrf and it is believed that Ix)th matters have been properly and adequ*ely addressed. The chU￿h'S Safeguarding Policy was reviewed and Te-adOpt￿ in the summer, and appropriate training was ac¢¢ss¢d by volunteers alld help￿$ throughout the year. ST ANNE'S-ON.SEA iJNrrED REFORMKD CHURCH CHARITY NO 11281M3 REVIEW AND ELDERS, REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025 (eontinued) Pastoral Care During the past year. all tnvolved in pastoral care have done their best to support everyone within our church family, whatever the nature of their difficulties. As our congregation gets older and more frail, as well as those who undertake pastornl visits. this is becoming more difficuh. We have lost old friends, but have a150 welcollLed new tnembers. As we Itye ID a retiretnent area these people are genernlly older, but that does not Tnean they are less committed. We are a welcomin& caring church and the outlook is positive. Prayer Our Prayer Cbain remains open to receive requests for prnyer for sitt￿tiOnS both within and beyond the church family. Starfi8hes Stsrfishes commenced its new year on the second week in Septemttr. We were very busy enrolling children on the first two Mondays an￿ having reached the number we feel is comp&tible with safety and comfort for everyone. we opened a waittng list the following weeL' rewuring parents or carers that w¢ would contsct them as soon as a vawicy occurred. We followed our cllstomary progrdmme of activities with play tiDJ¢. song time and refreshment time. followed by story time with a biblical theme and a related crdft activty. Our weekly Bible stories and associated crafts ty to follow the lectionary readin& atLd often Some parentslcarers want to talk aknut the story. New Childre￿ as well &8 those reti￿g for a second year. were very happy with what was offered during the two hours, aTtd the adults who accompanied each child expressed their thanks for the provision our church has made in providing g(KMJ premises with a welcotnin& warn atLd Secure environment. We have maintained an average of foty children on our register who enjoyed a Christmas party, Vlskted by Father Christmas with a sack of presenty and Easter activities. Our last session in July will include a party in the church gardell. All of this would not be p)ssible without a team of volunteers who give up every Monday morning in tern] time to ensure things run smoothly and safely, together with our church which is willing to make its premises a welcoming place in our community. Me&8y Church Spring 2024 Messy ChuKh ¢ov¢ring themes from making a noise. to having a ro¢k¢ting tim¢ in the Church garden. And with Spring came the first blossom on the 2 apple trees planted by M¢ssy Church in 2021 to ¢ommemorat¢ Her Late Majesty's Platinum Jubilee. Together wlth the Qu¢¢n's Gr¢¢n Canopy tree planting initiative our 2 trees were part of 500.000 trees creating a lasting green lewy. The Summer Carnival saw families and volunteers walking the routs in VERY colourful attire for th¢ Circus theme. Over the summer break we encourdged our fatllilies to participate in Citizen Science with the Big Buttertly Count and the FIT CounL by taking a stroll in the Church garden and logging what they see. Th¢ publithed r¢sults showd b¢es and butterlli¢s were having a tough titne and they n¢eded our help. ST ANNE'&ON-SEA uNrrED REFORMED CHURCH CHARITY NO 1128043 REVIEW AIYD ELDERS, REPORT FOR THE YEAR EIYDED 30 APRIL 2025 (continued) Messy Church (contlllued) Our return in September celebrdted HarYe5t with crafts and the Bags 2 Grow. As the Harvest session coincided with the poor results of the Buttertly and Bee counts. a How To... Make a Cosy Bug Home video was made and wsted on our FacelMK)k pag¢. f¢atiwing the Bug House in the Church garden. In Autumn our themes were gratefUln￿ and Remembrance. Our volunteers were also recognised for the work they do at Messy Church and the many other positions they volunteer for at the Church, at the Mayor of Fylde's Recognition Event for Volunteffs hosted at the Town Hall, with May and Joyce representing St Anne's URC. Advent was a time of crafting and anticipation. Th¢ New Y￿r saw us explore the stories of Noah and Samson and some very creative crafts. It was also time for the 2025 Big Gankn Bird CounL and our Church garden was on trend with the early findings being ￿P)rted - small birds that can feed from birdfeeders were successfuL such &8 sparrows and blue tity but ground feeders, like thrushes were in danger. Messy Church created a habitat for snails to shelter in, a fo(Ml source for thrushes. with an upturned broken teTfdcotta pot. Spring saw us celebrats Mothers and nurturing love. followed by Risen for the Easter theme. All our activities have been warnity r￿e1Ved by the families that attend. As alway5. a huge thank you to Rev Janet for her enth￿laSrn, crafting skills and the encyclopaedic knowledge that she brings to ea¢h Sessio￿ and to the volunteers for th¢ skills that they bring to the craft tables and the culinary skills that ensure each session is fmished off with a delicious and nutritious meal enjoyed and 5avi)utEd by th¢ families and volunteers. Sunday Club Junior church is now Tun by Joanne. Pam comes through when there are any babies OT toddlets, to supervise play activtties and chat to th¢ Mums. The junior church is attended regularly by thre¢ children and occasioDally they are joined by a few more. They have a Bible story and prayers. This is followed by M colouring or crdfi activity connected to the story. We chat together about the message being conveyed and how it affects their lives today. Th¢ children also enjoy game5 like bingo connected to the Bible stories. Thursday Club There were no regular meetings of Thursday Club after Easter until the beginning of O¢tokr 2024. but members and friends did meet infoTmally for a get-together over aftern(x)n tea at The Bedford Hotel in July 2024. This gathering was well Support￿ and much enjoyed by those who attended. Regular fortnightly meetings began again on 3 October 2024 and ran until 3 April 2025 wrth a break ov¢r the festive season. In total there were 13 m¢¢tings including the Atmual General Meeting (AGM). The averdge attendance was 33 with as many as 40 at one meeting. At le&st half of thos¢ attending were people from the wider. local community. The varied progrdmme for 2024 - 2025 included an organ recital in the Church and a rdnge of topics including local and ordl history, bee-keepin& life as a dancer, women in llOD-5tereotypical roles, th¢ television progrdmme 'The Sewing Bee.. flower& a celebrntion of Christmas and memori¢s, when individuals spoke about items of speci￿ intetEst to them. ST ANNE.￿ON￿EA UNITED REFORMED CHURCH CHARITY NO 1128043 REVIEW AND ELDERS, REPORT FOR THE YEAR EliDED 30 APRIL 2025 (continued) Thurnday Club (continued) At the AGM it was agreed that a donation of £750 should be mad¢ to Church funds. Also, a committee of seven was formed to plan the programme for 2025 - 2026. Retiring Colleclions Retiring collections were taken during th¢ year for Christian Aid, Mission to Seafarers, Trinty HospicelBrian House and The Leprosy Mission. Generous giving 8t these events, and throughout the year, realised much-needed support for th¢s¢ deserving causes. EeumeAi¢al Activities The church continued to build on its support for the work of Churches Together in St Ann¢'s. R¢presentatives from the different churches in the town meet on a regular basis to discuss not only events and special times that occur on the church calendar. but also within the town. Arrangements are mad¢ for ways to cel¢brnte th¢se in a manner in sthich all churches can participate, and also the general public. This year ther¢ wa5 an excellent turnout for the Good Friday walk in prcKession to the Squar4 where we ¢njoy¢d a s¢rvice with many townsfolk and visitors. The Pentecost Walk proved very wpular once again. Those taking part mel in Ashton Gardens and walked through the parL singing a5 they went. Flyers were also handed out. They ended their walk at our church where there wa5 a servrce beld outside in glorious sunshine. drawing the attention of a good number of passers-by. This was followed by tea & coffee in the Hall wh¢r¢ people had time to chat. In May the church was the local hub for 'Thy Kingdom Come. _ part of a global ecumenieal prayer movement that invits5 Christians around the world to pray during the peri(Kl from Ascension to Pentecost for more people to come to know Jesus Christ. Each year th¢ mov¢ment wiites more thall a ttLillion Christians in prayer. in nearly 900/0 of wuntries worldwide. across 85 different denominations and tradition5. Prayer stations were set up in our and tea and coffee were offered, providing a good opportunity for people to get together and talk. We also took part in the St Anne's Carnival and Processio￿ with Churches Together once again winning the Clifton Shield for our walking tloat. W¢ also had a Stall throughout the weekend in Ashton Gardens, with activities and inforniation. Our church was involved ill the service of Blessing the Crib in St Anne's Square. Church members were thetl very active in supporting th¢ work of Churches Together during December, when thousands of Christmas cards w￿¢ delivered to hom¢s across the town. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in January saw a number of members and friends of th¢ ChU￿h attending the eeumenical service at the Drive Methodist Church. io. ST ANNE'&ON-SEA UNITED REFORMED CHURCH CHARITY1%0 1128043 REVtEW AND ELDERS. REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025 (¢ontiDued) Maintenance and Use of Buildings As explain¢d in last year's ReporL the Quinquennial Survey I￿￿ identified the complete replacement of th¢ roof io the church hall as an immediate priority. Following an extensive period of plannin8 and considerdtion. the Con￿¢1 with a firm of specialists from Nottingham w&s signed, and work got underway in early April 2024. At the same time, SOTne remedial work was also undertaken as required to tllisplaced slates on th¢ church roof. along with replacement of the lead roof over the chutch vestibul¢. The early stages of the work were dogged by px)r weather. but once the rain and wÉnd abated work ontinu¢d at pace. The old slates were ￿mOved Completely? and it was with some relief that we were abl¢ to confwm that the original roof timbers and supw)rts were in g(x)d condttion. In due wurse the enti roof was r¢-slated and all indications are that it is now completely watertight- a state of affairs we have not enjoyed for many decades. New insulation was installed throughout the hall and adjacent stydces. and the stained ceiling til¢s in th¢ hall were replaced. At the same time. the opportunity was tsken to repair the hearing loop system in the hall, which had been inoperative for a number of years. Other work to renew and improv¢ rainw&t¢r guttering and downpipes was also canied out as required. All work w&$ finally signed off as compl¢te in early October. Other premises work throughout the year included: Repair to the park walL after a sectÈon was knocked down by a car- ogarn! Repair of the most signlficant potholes in the car park. Fitting of new external electrical sockets to the front of the churcb. The buildings and grounds have. of course. continued to require significant routin¢ upkeep and maintenance througbout the year" whether brought about by damage (a￿idental or othetivise) or tbrough simple wear and tsar due to the passage of time. Much time was tsken throughout the year to investigate the FM)SStbility of Improving the antiquated, inefficient heating system tn the church. This involved visits from suppLiers of such systems, and visits undertaken by Elder3 to other churches in tAncas&ire & Yorkshire to assess and compare the efficacy of the alternative systems. A grant application for a&sistance towards the Cost was made to NW Synod, but unfortunately this was unsuccessfijl. In February an Extraordinary Meeting of M¢mb¢rs was held, and there was unanimous agreement to pr(xeed with the installation of a new infrared quartz halogen heating system. It is hoped that ihe new system will not onty result in the church being a much warni¢r and mo welcOmi￿g environmenL but this will also serve to significantly reduce our ¢artKTrn footprint whilst also lowering our energy bills. Lettings of the I￿11, Community room and church have been maintsined at similar levels, and these reptEsent both a welcome Source of income and an opportunity for meaningful engagement with many sectors of the community. ii. ST AYJ ￿E.￿N.sEA uNrrED REFORMED CKtrRCH CHAIUTY NO 1128IM3 REVIEW AIYD ELDERS, REPORT FOR THE YEAR EIWED 30 APRIL 2025 (continued) Fulldraising The Fundraising Team have had another busy, successful and enjoyable year with our ¢vents being well supported from our own parishioners, other Churches, frtends and our paying public, who ar¢ fr¢quently asking "When is your next even￿. So- lots of interest and it's good to see new and familiar faces joining Us at our events. We commenced our year in May with a concert in the Church given by the Dream Team Sing¢rs from Cleveleys. This was a wollderful afternoon of music. songs. and poetry. which were well received by our appreciative audience. The singers p¢rfonn at various venues. with monies given to charity. On this occ&sion they chose our local Foodbank to knefit from their concert with us. In June we held one of our very ￿pular Table Top Sales, featuring a full complement of tables - a busy and enjoyable day. Our wpular Caf¢ was in full swin& keeping our shoppers and stall holders well fed and watered. Our Book Fair was held tn July. another bwqy day with lots of vi51tors browsing and picking up bargains along the way. In addition to the tKx)k sal¢s there were also lots of jigsaws. DVDS & CDS. The café was kept very busy tIAroughout. Into AugusL and we held a special Fundraising Coffee Morning in aid of child amputees in Gambia. This came about as a spxial request from one of our visitillg ministers who visits Gambia and thes¢ childr¢n on a fairly ￿gUlar basis. It ￿MeS under the umbrella of The GU)VE ProjecL and we were very happy to help this project alld the children. During September we held a Harvest-themed Coffee Morning once again well supported. On the Sunday after morning worship we held a Jacob'5 Join Lunch. Again it is good to meet up and chaL maybe with pwple we don% always see to chat to. Donations went to Water Ai Our Craft Fair in October again saw the ball of tables with lots of beautifvl Crnfts to buy. These ¢vents are very popular indeed, and again our cafe was very busy. In November we held our huge Christmas Fair, when the hall was fvll of lovely Chrislmassy goods to buy, plus a Christmas-themed raffle, Father Christhlas paid us a visiL and we had some carol singers join us too. All itL all, a great build up to tbe Festive Season. This fitted in p¢rfectly with the 'swLtch on" of the town's Christmas Lights later in the day. Our Christmas Concert in Church was in fact given by two Choirs - our own Church Choir plu5 The Wedgwood Singers. It was a wonderful afternoon of music - the Organ, Grand Piano and our Wurlitzer were usel with Lisa Ath¢rton and Anne Sh¢ph¢rd leading the choirs. Following on the next week we held our Cbristmas Coffee Morning selling Christtnassy Food with a few Christmassy Stalls for browsing or buyin& plus a Taffle. Our first event of the new year was the Table Top Sale in February. Again it is a popular evenL so it is great to see familiar fa¢es ¢oming to see again. Also in February we held an Afternoon Tea with entertainmenL at which our friend David Grimshaw entertained us all very well along with the sound man Daniel. It w&s a lovely winterfs afternoon and a satisfying afternoon te& Some friends were lucky enough to win raffl¢ priz¢s. March ¢am¢ around and we held another of our very popular Craft Fairs- once again a ￿11 hall of tables including our w)pular raffl¢ table. and our cafe in full swing. 12. ST ANNE,￿￿-sEA UNITED REFORMED CHURCH CHARrrY NO 1128043 REVIEW AND ELDEILS, REPORT FOR THE YEAR E￿￿ED 30 APRIL 2025 {eoDtiDued) Fundrgiqing (eolltinued) At Easter lime we held an Easter-themed Coffee Mornin& with rdffle. plus F2Ster food in the cafe. At the end of April we Iwl a Fashton Show* given by one of our local shops in the town. Th¢r¢ were 12 models parading clothes on our catwalk to wear for the wanner days. Th¢ hall was again very full of ladies all eager to buy. We are very lucky to have such a fantastic group who work tirelessly at thes¢ events. Unfortunately we have had to see one or two in the past year step down from helping due to ill health. We are grateful for all they have done to help us in the past. Flnanelal review 2024125 has been the second of two exceptional years in which th¢ church incurred significant expenditure as a result of the replacement of the hall roof and 8ssociated works. As with 2023124. the financial figures therefore present an unusual picture &s a consequen¢¢ of additional exp¢nditure alld a150 realisation of funds to apply towards those expenses. During the year to 30 April 2025 the Church's total incom¢ was £149J93. and expenditure totalLed £188,467 - a deficitloverspend of £39.074. Once the extraordinary f￿anCIa] tt￿saCtIOnS in respect of the roof are removed. however, this indicates that the 'Dorn￿l. financial affairs of th¢ church during the year resulted in a surplus of £38.586. Some additional cosls wer¢ incurred during the year- primarily a further rise in our M&M contribution. and increased expenses for premises upketp. We were bless￿ however. by the receipt of significant legacies from cherished members and friends of the Church. This generosity, coupled with a sizeable repayment of over £7.000 for a historic Gift Aid claim, I￿8 resulted in the welcome operating surplus for this year. Principal funding sources for the year under revieiy Donations and gifts. some of which attract a tsx benefit in the form of Gift Ai(L The other prtmary sources of incom¢ fundrnising and lettings. Investment policy Aside from retaining a prudent amount in reserye each year. the Church's funds a￿ to be spent An the short term so there are no ￿ndS for long tenn inv¢stm¢nt. The exception is the Mccappin restricted fund which can be stKnt only on repairs and renewals an(L in wen¢e. when no other funds are available" and any gift which Can only be spent &s authorised by th¢ donor. Reserves policy As the church relies principalty on voluntary contributions which ¢&miot be anticipated with any great degree of accurdcy. the Church's policy on resetv¢s needs to be tlexible. The current policy on r¢s¢rv¢s states that the Elders will hold reserves which are sufficient to meet short-tsrni liabilitie4 and place reserves in a rdnge of accounts to g￿erate income and groN*tkL 13. ST Al￿E'￿￿.SEA UNITED REFORMED CHURCH REVIEW AND ELDERS? REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025 {continued) Risk Managemellt Finances The budget for each year is constructed after considering the risks associatd with continuiug to generate sulficient income and with the control of expenditure. For example. the trends in peN)nal givin l¢ttings and fundraising are considered realistically and influenced by course5 of action to maintain and increas¢ in¢ome where tK)ssible. Expenditure is divided between costs incurred through everyday activities and costs deemed to IK ¢x¢¢ptional, for which provision is made by means of the planned use of r¢serYes. The Church Members. Meeting is advised on financial atrdngements, and significant final decisions (other than those properly delegated) always require the approvat of the Members. Meeting. Investments The Church investments are ov¢rs¢¢n by the Elders and managed by a small wup of representatives from the church congregation. They meet required with the Inde￿Ident financial adviser and a representative of th¢ investment group Rowan Dartington. Through financial reports. provided for their meetings from th¢ group and the independent fllwicial advisor. Elde￿ consider the major fuwicial risks to which th¢ Church is exposed. They have established systems and procedures to manage those risks. The Church ¢nd¢avours to invest safety and ethically. Objeeilves for the year 202>2026 The following objertives for the coming year were proposed at the May 2025 Membert, meeting: To continue to maintain a vibranL worshippin8 church and community hub in St Anne's as part of the Lan¢ashir¢ W¢st Missional Partller5hip> To continue to build our ecumenical relationship& To rdise awareness of ecological issues. ￿knOwledgIng our Silver award as an ecfrc0n￿gat]On. To engag¢ in wider mission with other cottllnunitie5 and in other countri￿. Approv¢d and signed on beI￿lf of the Elders: Church Secretary ... 25 14. ST ANNE'&ON-SEA uNrrED REFORMED CIIURCH CHARrrY NO 1128043 STATEMENT OF ELDEILS, RESPONSIBILrriES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025 Chartty Law requires the Elders to prepare accounts that give a true and fair view of the state of the Church atLd of its inwme and expenditur¢ for the financial year. tn doiLig so. the Elders aff required to: select Suitable accounting tM)licies and th¢n apply th¢m consistently. make judgements and estimates that are r¢asonable and pnKlen¢ stste whether applicable accoulltiug standards and statements of r¢comm¢nd¢d practice have been followed, subject to any departures disclosed and explained in the accounts; prepare the accounts on the gotng ¢on¢ern basis wiless it is inappropriate to presurne that the Church will continue in operation. The Elders are responsible for maintaining accounting records which disclose, with reasonable accuracy at any time, the financial position of the Church to enabl¢ them to ensure that the accounts comply with the Charities Act 2011. and the ch￿itIeS (Accounts and Rel￿$) Regulations 2008. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Church and henc¢ for laking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. 15. INDEPENDENf EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE ELDERS OF ST AI¥L¥E,&O￿.THE-sEA U￿lTED REFoR￿￿D CHURCH CHARITY NO 1128043 We report on the fllwicial statements of Si Ann¢'s-on-th¢-S¢a United R¢fomied Church for the year ended 30 April 2025, which are set out on pages 17 to 23. Respon8ibilitie8 and basis of rep)rt The Church Elde￿ responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of th¢ Charities Act 2011 fthe Act). We report in respect of our examination of the Church's accounts caTried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out our examinatio￿ we have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5Mb) of the ACL IDdepende￿t Ewniners Statement W¢ hav¢ ￿Mpleted our eXaMTrnatio￿ we coDfJrni that no llknial matters have come to our attention in connection with the examination which gives us cause to believe that iffj any material aspect: accounting rewrds w¢r¢ not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the ￿Unts do not accord with th¢ accounting tecords We have no concerns and have come across no other matters in wnnwtion with the eL*nination to which attention should be drnwn in Orts to enable a proper understanding of the accounts tr) be Teached. John Potter & Harrison Chartered A¢countants 1121114 Whi¢egate Drive Blackpool FY3 9A11 16. ST A￿￿E.￿￿.THE-sEA UNITED REFORMED CHURCH CHAJUTY NO A128043 RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025 Year ended 30.4.25 Total Funds Year ended 30.424 Total Funds Ullrestricted Funds Restricted General RoofFund Funds Notes Recelpts Receipts from generated funds: Investment income Manse Fund 1,861 Voluntsry income.. Personal giving Donationg Legacies 77,711 4.802 24,635 200 50 77,911 4,852 24,635 73,817 8.442 Activities for generating funds: Fundraising Lettings COrnerS￿ne/V0daph0ne Other 8,376 12.359 18,624 2.636 8.376 12,359 18.624 2.636 10.695 11,330 23,120 5.919 Total Recelply 149.143 250 149,393 135,184 Payments Charitable activiti¢s Governance costs 53J24 75.140 53.324 135,143 52.570 88,298 59,803 200 Total Payments 128.464 59.803 200 188.467 140,868 Net (PaYments)￿¢¢eiPts 20,679 (59,803) 50 (39,074) {5,684) TrAnsfers Reconciliation of Funds 20.679 (59.803) 50 (39.074) (5,684) Total funds brought fonvard 116.897 59.803 32.833 209,533 215,217 Total funds carried fonYy4rd 137.576 32.883 170,459 209,533 17. ST AThNE'S-ON.TH￿EA UNrfED REFORMED CHURCH CllA￿TY NO lll8043 STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILrriES AS AT 30 APRIL 2025 Year ended Unreslrieted 30.425 Funds Restricted Total Genernl Roof Fund Funds Funds Year ended 30.4.24 Total Funds Notes Fixed Assets tnvestments 85,000 85.000 95.000 Total Fixed Assets 85.000 85,000 95,000 Current knets Cash at bank Cash in hand 52,468 108 32.883 85.351 I 14.415 108 118 Total Current A￿ets 52.576 32,883 85,459 114,533 Tot81 Net Assets 137,576 32.883 170,459 209.533 Tbe Funds of the Churcb: Restricted Income FuDd - Mecappin account -GAft 31.661 1222 31,661 1,222 31,661 1,172 Unrestrided Ill¢ome Funds Telefonica 02 General and bequest account Subsidiary accounts io,(K 134,299 163,144 3,277 3,556 134,299 3,277 Totsl Chureh Funds 137.576 32.883 170.459 209,533 Approved by the Elders .. . . and signed OJJ their beb4lf by:_ . Elder Elder 18. ST ANNE'&ON.THE.SEA UNITED REFORMED CHURCH CEL41UTY NO 1128043 NOTES TO THE AccouNrs FOR THE YEAR ELYDED 30 APRIL 2025 A¢¢ounting Policies (a) Basis of P￿parntiOn The financial statemeTts have been prepared under the receipts and payments basis in accordance with, and permitted by. Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. (b) Funds Structure of Receipts The Chureh receives funds from the following sources: donations, personal giving and related tsx claims for donations under Gift Aid. fundraising net of any attributable cosL letting& this relates to any income retttv¢d fiDm outside organisations who have used the facilities of the Church hall and annexe. l¢gaci¢s' investment in￿rne svhich relates to interest from bank deposits and income fvnd units. Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in ￿Cord￿nCe with specific restrictions imw)sed by the donor. There are two restricted fund% a l¢ga¢y from the Misses Mccappin, which is restricted to expenditure on repairs and renewals, nornially when there are no other funds available and gifLs which are restricted to expenditure approved by the donor. Unrestricted ￿ndS comprise those fimds which the Elders ar¢ free to use for any puryN)se in furtherance of the Church's objectives. Unrestri¢t¢d fimds include designated funds where the Elders, at their discretio￿ hav¢ created a fund for a specific ptwpose. (c) Payments All e￿nditllre is accounted for on an income and expenditure basis, inclusive of VAT which cannot be recovered. and h&$ b¢en cl&ssified under h¢adings that ag￿gate all costs related to that category. Charitsbl¢ artivities: costs of the Church incurred in the delivery of its activities and Governance costs: costs associated with the general running of the Church as opposed to those costs associated with direct Church activities. (d) Fixed asset investments Invesknents are stated at historic cost. (e) Taxation As part of the United Refornied churc￿ the Church is an excepted charity within the meaning of the Taxes Acts. Accordingly it Is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income and capital gains received to the extent that such income or gains are applied to exclusively charitable purw)ses. No provision for taxation h&s been made in th¢5¢ financial statements. 19. ST ANNE'&OP4.TllE￿EA UNITED REFORMED CHURCH CHARTTY No ill8AH3 NOTES TO ACCOU￿[S FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025 (eoDtillued) Accounting Policies {colltiuued) (fj Cash flow statement The Church has tsken advantsge of the exemption in Fina￿la1 R￿Orting Standard No I from prcKiucing a cash flow statement on the grounds that it is a small charity. Illveslmeut Income Year ended 30.4.25 Toiai Year eRded 30.4.24 Total Manse fund interest 1,861 Retelpts from Volllntsry Illcome Year ended 30.4.24 ended 30.425 Person*1 giving- ullrestri¢ted Freewill envelopes Offertory Gift Aid Offertory Non-Gift Aid- Sunday off¢rings Offertory- Standing ordffs and gifts Tax r¢¢ov¢ry 3.110 3.200 10,058 39,889 21,454 3,060 2,180 11,096 45,634 11,847 77,711 73,817 Personal giving- reStr￿t 200 DonatioDS- UDrtstii Thursday coffee Sunday coffee Thursday club Wedding￿Funer8I￿Bapti8rns Bookshelf christll￿ cards CoMmitm￿t for life Retiring collection Organ upkeep 1,151 1,331 1270 1278 500 990 45 55 145 1,708 3,299 372 4.802 8.442 20. ST ANNE'&ON.THE-SEA UNITED REFORMED CEtURCH CHARTfY No I12￿3 NOTES TO THE ACCOUNts FOR THE YEAR EM)ED 30 APRIL 2025 (Continued) ReLTipts from Voluntary Income Year ended 30.4.24 ended 30.425 Donation8lGrgnt- restricted Specific donations- Garden 50 Receipts from activities Year ended 30.425 Year ended 30.424 Fundraising Christsnas Fair Craft Fair Table Top ￿leS Other events 1,472 1,990 1,547 3.367 1.593 2.104 2,904 4.094 8J76 10,695 Ltttings Hall CoTnmunity room Food bank fuel 10.836 45 1,478 10,061 1.269 12,359 11,330 Other Starfishes Warni Hub Subsidiary accounts movement 1.413 1.500 (277) 1.342 3,000 1.577 2,636 5,919 21. ST ANNE'SroN.TH￿sEA UNrrED REFORMED CHURCH CHARtrY No 1128043 OTES TO THE Accouiyrs FOR THE YEAR E.NDED 30 APRIL 2025 (Continued) Pxyments Year ended 30.425 Year ended 30.424 Charitable &ctivitie3- unwtri¢ted Ministry and mission Pulpit supply Minister training Music in church Instrument upkeep Music licences Correspondence Messy church Copier Posters Publications war￿ Hub Retiring collections Book of Remembranc¢ Other B¢)ok allowance 40,808 1.552 38,164 1,587 5,983 105 610 88 iio 117 464 536 360 1.463 423 455 250 5,462 1,224 480 278 163 633 331 495 3.299 60 109 250 53J24 52.535 Chaiithble artivities- restrieted Post 35 Accountancy Payroll charges Bookkeeping Water 900 150 1,152 l.(Y)7 8,084 11,909 9.847 443 8,302 900 150 1,152 1.121 7,103 13.178 9,855 407 6,488 10,680 21,594 13,737 1,933 Electricity Insurance Telephone Premises upkeep Asbestos removal Hall roof Cleanin￿caretak¢r Garden 77,660 14,939 460 134,943 88298 Governan¢¢ Costs- restricted Pr¢mises upkeep 2iXI 22. ST ANNE'&OY4.THE-SEA UNITED REFORMED CHURCH CHARITY NO 1128(H3 NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2025 (Continued) Fixed Asset Inveslmellts ended 30.4.25 Cos¢ ended 30.4.24 Cost Quilt¢r Cheviot- General and Telefonica 85.000 95.000 The net book cost of inveslments at the date of the accounts. and the market value is &s follows:_ Book Market Value Value General and Telefonica 85,000 123.183 Cxqh at Bank Year ended 30.425 Year ended 30.4.24 C(H)perativ¢ Current Account ThuNlay Club Account Flower Account St Ann¢s Leprosy Mission Project 82,142 2,199 797 213 I LO.941 1,435 667 1,372 85J51 114.415 Cash in Hajjd Ye8r ended 30.4.25 Year ended 30.4.24 Pety C&sh Thursday Club Flowers St Annes twosy Mi&sion PrOJ￿t 40 36 68 82 108 118 General alld bequ&8t account In¢lud¢d within these fi￿dS is a designated fimd forminister Irainin8 with a balance at 30 April 2025 of £565 (30 Aprit 2024.. £565).